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Fish eating but get skinnier and skinnier

1.4K views 3 replies 2 participants last post by  triscuit  
#1 ·
I'm assuming it's some sort of internal parasite but am unsure on what medication to use. Metro had no effect, have just started treatment with seachem kanaplex. It's happening only in juveniles/fry. It's in a couple of my tanks that are fully cycled but are a bit high in nitrates 20-40 range. I feed them 1-2 times daily NLS grow and algae wafers. 50-60% water change weekly.

Fish swim around fine, eat, but they just start getting skinnier and skinnier. after kanaplex was used in one of the fry tanks and I began supplementing their NLS grow with the algae wafers I haven't lost any fry but I have a couple of juveniles in another tank that are starting to show similar signs. which is why I began the kanaplex in that tank as well. I'm just trying to make sure what I'm doing will work. Most of the medications I see at the LFS are for external parasites and kanaplex was the only one that said anything about treating internal parasites. Is there a medication people typically use for internal parasites that aren't susceptible to metronidazole?
 
#2 ·
How did you use the metro? It''s my go to med for all wasting/bloat infections, but it can be hard to use. In particular, my regimen includes daily doses and water changes and fasting.

Next on the list is praziquantel...
 
#3 ·
I dosed it in the water daily I've not had luck with soaking pellets in the past but I suppose since their eating it'd be a better way to administer. I tried prazi-pro as well but fish were still dying. After one day of this kana-plex stuff the skinniest of the juveniles looks a little less skinny to me. Kanaplex requires a second dosing tomorrow which I'll be doing and hope for the best. The fry population in the tank I treated with kanaplex stabilized and they seem to be fattening up nicely so I am hopeful, I was just wondering what people normally do for internal parasites and it seems I was trying the right things but fish weren't getting better.
 
#4 ·
Some can be hard to kick. I have had zero luck with metro laced foods. If the kanaplex doesn't get you where you need, try this:

My recipe, which I've used successfully for bloat, wasting, and other intestinal distress issues, is as follows:
Do not feed your fish at all during the treatment.
Day 1: Dissolve and add 250 mg of metro and 2 tablespoons of dissolved epsom salt for every 10 gallons.
Day 2: Full dose (250mg/10 gal) of metro in the AM, then 40% WC and full dose of metro in the evening (add 2 TBS of epsom salt for every 10 gallons of new water ).
Day 3: Full dose of metro in the AM, and another full dose in the PM.
Day 4: 40% WC (replacing the epsom salt) and full dose of metro in the AM, and another full dose in the PM.
day 5: 40% WC
Day 6: 40% WC and feed lightly
Dosing twice a day for several days appears to overcome the solubility issues of metro in alkaline water. Not feeding and using Epsom salt as a laxative is important for metro to be able to clear out the fish gut.